When I was new to Paganism, all I had was books. I read about practicing, I thought about Paganism as a religion, and as a lifestyle, and as spiritual practice. I thought about magick and witchcraft. All I had were words and thoughts. Alone I could never quite transition into actual practice, it was all just theory.

I discovered the St. Louis Pagan Picnic and went alone and feeling both filled with wonder and completely befuddled. Were there really this many other people who thought like I did? Who connected to this stuff I had read about and felt so totally out of place in this world because it resonated with me so much? Where did they all come from? I sat in on a workshop on Reiki. I'd never heard the word before in my life. All my books had been on Wicca. When it broke up I approached the teacher and started asking questions. Total n00b questions. I didn't know anything and I wanted to know EVERYTHING. In a few moments they had me laying in the grass, with one person at my head and another at my feet and someone holding a crystal over me. I felt like I was floating in a dream leaving that workshop. I found CD's of Indian bellydance music I never knew existed. I found more books. I found and bought my first pentacle. In one day I knew that I couldn't just read about it anymore. I had found home.

Years later, I was at a dinner with my coven and we went around the table to each say a few words about how we had found our coven and each other. As each person's story started I heard the same words "Well one year I was at Pagan Picnic...." so many stories started that way. I marveled at how many lives could be touched by this one event. Not just touched in a small way. Really changed.

For 25 years now people have been coming to the St Louis Pagan Picnic. Over the years the number of miles people travel to attend has expanded beyond what those who founded it could ever have dreamed. Every year people find their spiritual path, someone meets their future best friend...someone finds their future coven. Those who have been in this community for decades embrace friends they have not seen in years. These moments are the true legacy of the Pagan Picnic.

I'd like to invite you all to share your story. If you found Paganism for the first time, if you realized for the first time that what you had been dabbling in was actually your real path, if you found your coven, your partner, your best friend, if you found yourself. Share that with us. To commemorate 25 years of Making Magick Together, we would like to hear your stories. So please tell us about how Pagan Picnic has impacted your life.

We will see you on June 3rd and 4th 2017 for The 25th Annual St Louis Pagan Picnic.